The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) expressed hope for the approval of additional funds for the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens program, which will be allocated by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in the proposed 2024 national budget.
"The DSWD continues to push for the increase of the amount of social pension to help indigent seniors cushion the impact of higher prices of fuel, goods and to keep up with the global inflation," said DSWD Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez on Saturday, Aug. 12.
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman has announced an allocation of P49.81 billion for the upcoming year's social services sector budget, to enhance the implementation of the aforementioned DSWD program.
This amount, which is nearly double the P25.30 billion allocated in the 2023 General Appropriations Act, fulfills the requirements of Republic Act (RA) No. 11916, also known as the Act Increasing the Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens, according to Lopez.
RA 11916, which lapsed into law in 2022, mandated a 100 percent increase in the monthly pension for indigent seniors, raising it from P500 to P1,000.
"The Department looks forward to the approval of the proposed funding so we can ensure that programs and services for senior citizens will significantly impact the lives of the beneficiaries," the DSWD official added.